All The Time In The World
by Lenni George
Summary: For you, I've got all the time in the world. Chapter 3 now up. A little fluff, a little non fluff. Let me know what you think.
1. Ed's Gamble

City Morgue

Bellevue Hospital

New York, NY

November 16, 2001

3:00 pm

"Sorry, Lennie," Dr. Katrina Cesarone said, "C.O.D. was a heart attack."

"Pay up," Detective Ed Green grinned, holding out his hand.

"You sure about that, Doc?" Detective Lennie Briscoe asked, reaching for his wallet. "No poison? No suffocation?"

"Heart attack, plain and simple," she shrugged. "Sorry, Lennie."

"Damn," Briscoe said, shaking his head and pulling a twenty from his wallet. He slapped it into Ed's hand. "You always seem to win when she's the ME."

"Yeah, come to think of it, I do," Ed agreed, winking at Katrina. "You're my lucky charm, Doc. I should take you to Atlantic City with me tonight."

"God," she laughed, pulling the sheet over the body. "It's been way too long since I've been to AC."

"You don't impress me as a gambler," Lennie began, studying her. He couldn't see her hunched over a smoky poker table, but then again, he'd learned to expect the unexpected from just about everyone.

"I live in New York, I gamble every day that I walk the streets," she quipped, pulling off her rubber gloves. "Believe it or not, I used to go down there a lot before my daughter was born."

"What's your game?" Ed asked, watching the dark haired doctor as she walked to the sink and washed her hands.

"Poker," she said, scrubbing her hands. "What about you?"

"I've done pretty well at the poker table, myself," he replied, with a smile.

"I don't know about you," she said, reaching past him for the paper towels. Damn, she loved the cologne he wore. "You play poker, you like Elvis Costello, and we're both addicted to Suzy T's buffalo wings. We may just be twin children of different parents."

"And that's why she's helping you win," Lennie teased, nudging Ed's shoulder. He'd noticed the attraction between his partner and the ME a while ago and had teased him about it frequently. Ed never denied it, but from what Lennie could tell, he never acted on it either. Although, Lennie had to admit, Ed was turning it on a bit more today.

"Detective Briscoe," she laughed, "I took an oath when I took this job. I can't falsify results. Besides, he's never once offered to share his winnings with me, so why would I help him?"

"Ouch, you're tough, Doc," Ed laughed.

"Damn, is that all it takes? Toss one my way, I'll share," Lennie added.

"I do have some ethics, Guys. Not a lot, but some."

The double doors flew open and two techs rolled in a new body. Ed watched as Katrina's eyes dimmed. Since the Towers fell, he knew she'd been pretty much living at the morgue and he could see that it was starting to wear on her.

"Got another one for you, Trina," began the taller man.

"Shit," she sighed. "Thanks, Guys." She waited until the techs left the room then closed her eyes and massaged her temples. Since the Towers fell, she'd been helping to catalog and identify the remains that had been pulled from the wreckage. It was the least she could do for the families of those who had died. Hell, it was her duty as a Medical Examiner, and an American. But, it was taking its toll. She was mentally and physically exhausted, having spent entirely too much time in the morgue. If she didn't have her three year old daughter, Ruby, to worry about, she wouldn't have left the morgue at all.

"You okay?" Ed Green's voice asked, pulling her from her thoughts. She opened her eyes and found genuine concern on his features.

"Yeah," she gave him a half-hearted smile, "I'm just exhausted, that's all."

"Hey Doc," Lennie said, patting her arm, "We've gotta roll. You take it easy, okay? Go home and give that little girl a hug."

"I will, thanks, Lennie," she smiled.

"You comin', Ed?" Lennie asked.

"Yeah," Green said, "Go on and start the car, I'll be there in a minute. I gotta get a copy of the lab results for the file."

"Sure," Lennie laughed, seeing through his partner's lie. "I'll be in the car."

Once Lennie was out of the room, he turned to Trina. "Hey, Doc, I had a thought."

"Okay?" she curiously asked, pulling on a pair of fresh gloves.

"Why don't you ride down to AC with me?" he offered.

"Ed…" she blushed.

"Look, you need to get outta here for a night and I could use the company on the ride, I was heading down by myself."

She studied him. His expression was earnest, but she still wasn't ready to trust it. "What? Your boys ditch you tonight?"

"They all wanna hang out up here, head over to Glam," he shrugged. "You ever been?"

She nodded, "Over priced, pretentious, music's too loud, dance floor's too small."

"Yeah, and that's why I'm flying solo tonight," he smiled at her, "Unless you come with me."

"Well," she mulled over the idea. "My daughter is with my ex all weekend."

"Let me guess, you were going to come back in here?"

"Yeah, I was," she sheepishly said.

"Come with me. I'll even buy you dinner."

"Which casino?"

"You pick," he coaxed.

Trina laughed, "You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

"No," he smiled.

"Okay," she said, making up her mind. "What the hell? I'll go. I'm out of here at 4. I need to go home and get changed."

"I'll meet you at your place at 6?"

"Yeah, that works. Guess you need my address, huh?"

"That would help."

"111 Worth. I'll be waiting in the lobby, okay?"

"See you at 6," he winked, and then walked out of the morgue.

Borgata Hotel and Casino

Atlantic City, NJ

November 16, 2001

11:15 pm

Ed Green sat on the barstool, nursing a beer and watching the crowd. A three piece band fronted by a fairly decent female singer was keeping the dance floor busy with their repertoire of dance and pop tunes. He watched while they did a barely recognizable version of Prince's "Doves Cry"

"Please tell me they're not trying to play Doves Cry," Trina Cesarone's voice began, causing him to turn to face her.

He smiled, watching as she sat on the stool next to his. She grimaced and shook her head as the singer tried to hit one of Prince's famous high notes. "They're not that bad."

"Ed, please, they're a lounge band trying to be hip by doing a 15 year old song."

"You always this tough of a critic?"

She shrugged, "I'm just not the schlocky wedding band type of girl."

"You were okay when they were playing Chaka Khan."

"They played "Ain't Nobody" and despite the crappy job they did, they just couldn't kill such a hot song. Besides, you asked me to dance so it made it all worth while.

"So, you enjoyed the dance?"

"I did. But don't get any ideas, I will not dance to this song," she replied, drawing a laugh from him.

"Don't worry. I couldn't dance to this song when it was popular. I'm not going to try it now." Trying to sound casual, he said, "You wanna go back out to the tables?"

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" she asked with a devilish grin. She knew he wanted to get back out onto the casino floor. They'd walked away from the poker table when she was $1500 up and he was $500 down. She could tell he wanted to stay, but deferred to her request to get something to eat.

"I just want a chance to catch up," he shrugged, "After all, this trip was my idea, I'd like to get a little somethin' for my effort."

"Your male pride can't stand to have a woman win more than you?" she teased.

"That's not it at all," he protested, feigning indignance, "I just don't like to go home a loser."

"I wouldn't say you're a loser," she winked. "But, if you want to go try another hand or two, I'm okay with it."

He smiled broadly and stood up. "Come on, let's go."

1:45 am

"Feel better now?" Trina asked, as Ed stepped away from the cashier's window.

"Yeah, I do," he nodded, "Four grand better."

"And now you won more than I did," she teased.

"I'm tellin' you, that was never the reason," he insisted.

"Yeah, well, since my winnings are going to pay for daycare, I think you should buy me breakfast."

"Sounds like a good idea. What time is it?"

Trina checked her watch, "1:45, so much for partying the night away."

"You're the one who said she wanted to see the sunrise." His tone grew challenging. "The night is still young. You mean to tell me you want to head home already?"

"I don't wanna go home," she playfully pouted. "Besides, we're not driving to NYC right now. You do realize we've been drinking since we set foot in this place. I mean, I'm no where near drunk, but there's no way I'd survive a breathalyzer."

"Neither would I," he agreed, then, "So, that makes staying til morning a good idea. Let's see if we can get a room. I'll buy you room service and we'll stay up and watch the sun rise."

She debated it for a moment, then smiled, "Room service, huh?"

"And a sunrise…"

"I like the way you think, come on."

Room 753

2:30 am

Trina sat in the bubbling Jacuzzi tub, allowing the jets to beat at her sore muscles. It felt good to get out of the city and away from the morgue and she'd really enjoyed spending time with Ed. He was smart, had a wicked sense of humor, could slow dance better than just about any guy she'd ever danced with, was sexy as all hell, and to top it all off, he seemed to be really attracted to her.

The playful flirting they'd normally enjoyed back in NYC had slowly evolved into a serious mating dance since they walked into the casino, so she wasn't totally surprised when he offered to share a room. What did surprise her was the room he managed to score at 2 am on a Friday. The Fiore Suite was about as opulent a room as she'd ever stayed in. It was nearly as big as her entire apartment and the bathroom was done in marble and mirrors with a two person Jacuzzi tub.

It took her all of 2 minutes after discovering the tub to decide to strip off her clothes and get in. Ed was cool about it and encouraged her to relax and enjoy. He said he'd hang out in the room and wait for her to finish before ordering something from room service.

She'd left him sprawled across the king sized bed, channel surfing. She had to admit that he looked pretty damn inviting, lying there, all relaxed. His tie was undone, but still hanging around his neck, his shirt collar unbuttoned. She could have very easily just lain down next to him, but instead, she headed for the bathroom. She silently cursed herself for being such a coward.

Hearing a knock on the door, she called out, "Come in?"

"The hotel sent up some champagne," Ed mused, carrying in a bottle and two flutes, "They said it goes with the suite?" He held out a flute, trying not to stare. Despite the bubbles that topped the tub, he knew she was naked in that water. All night long, he'd been wondering if he'd get a glimpse of the body she tried to conceal under her surgical scrubs. This was his chance, but didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable by walking in and gawking at her. That just wasn't his style.

Trina grinned, "I like champagne." She took the glass from his outstretched hand and took a sip. "This is the good shit, too."

"For what they normally charge for the room, it should be," he laughed, looking at the bottle.

"I still can't believe you scored this room on a Friday night," she shook her head. "You've got all the luck."

"I told you, you're my good luck charm."

"Ed, you can look over here, you know. You've got your eyes trained on everything but the tub," she observed.

"Yeah, well, I didn't think you'd want me walking in here checking you out…"

"It's okay," she shrugged. "You can check me out."

Green laughed, finally allowing himself to look at her. He couldn't see a damn thing through the bubbles. "No fair…you're all covered with bubbles!"

Trina laughed with him. "Sorry, Ed. I couldn't resist. The bubbles make the whole hot tub experience better."

"For you maybe."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you should really join me."

"An attractive, naked woman invites me to get into the tub with her and I'm not supposed to take it the wrong way?"

Her eyes twinkled. "We're adults; we can be naked in the same tub without it having to be sexual, can't we?"

"Oh sure, I promise, I won't have any physical reaction to being in the water with your naked body at all," he deadpanned.

"I'd be offended if you didn't have a physical reaction," she laughed. "Come on, sit with me. I'll close my eyes while you get in."

"I'm secure with my body," he smartly said, setting the bottle and his glass on the wide ledge of the tub. "Unlike some people who have to cover theirs with bubbles."

"Yeah, well, most guys will strip in a heartbeat if asked," she sniffed.

He raised a brow, but continued to undress. "And how many guys do you ask to strip on a daily basis?"

"Not as many as I'd like. The naked guys I usually see have been stripped by the time I get to them on my table," she returned in kind, watching as he tossed his dress shirt onto the marble vanity top. She smiled.

"What?"

"It'll be refreshing to see a live naked man for a change. I'm just appreciating the view. And, I must say, it's a very nice view."

"Great," he rolled his eyes, feeling strangely embarrassed. "Didn't you say this didn't have to be sexual?"

"I asked if it had to be," she said, sipping her champagne, "I didn't say whether it had to be or not."

"Smart ass," he laughed.

"That's me. I'm a Smart Ass Italian Girl. You gotta problem with it?"

"Not a one."

"Then stop standing there running your mouth, get naked, and get your ass in the water."

"Yes, Ma'am," he returned, unhooking his belt. "You gonna watch while I do this?"

"Depends, will it make you uncomfortable if I do?"

He unbuttoned his dress pants, then quickly unzipped and dropped them and his underwear to the ground. He stepped out of the pants and stood. "Not in the least."

Trina studied him for a moment. Damn did he have a nice body. She mentally kicked herself again for not making a move when she had the chance. "You gotta lose the socks."

"I planned on it, give me a chance." He pulled off his socks and laid them on top of his pants. "Happy now?"

"Get in the damn tub already?"

He climbed into the large tub and sunk down onto the seat across from her. "You're right. This does feel good."

"Told you," she agreed, then. "Thank you for talking me into this."

"I had an ulterior motive," he admitted, deciding to take a chance and speak his mind.

"You wanted to get me naked in a hot tub?" she teased.

"Well, yeah, but I thought it would be too much to ask," he returned, and then grew serious. "Seriously, I did want to spend some time with you. Away from NYPD, you know, to get to know you better?"

"I thought we said this didn't have to get sexual," she said, sipping her champagne.

"I didn't say I brought you down here to have sex," he dismissed.

"Why did you bring me down here?"

"Besides wanting to have a conversation without having to talk over top of a corpse? To tell you the truth, you looked like you needed to do something get you out of that morgue before you lost your mind."

"I was that obvious, huh?"

"Yeah, I figured if it's bad enough for me and Lennie to pick up on it, it had to be pretty bad."

She studied her empty glass. Looking up at him, she asked, "And you figured this would be a good time to get me away and spend some time with me?"

"I was right, wasn't I?"

"You were. Tonight was a lot of fun. You do know how to show a girl a good time, Detective Green."

"I try," he said, picking up the bottle and refilling their glasses.

"Well, you done good," she concluded, holding up her glass in mock toast. "I guess I owe you one now."

He shook his head, "You don't owe me anything. Like I said, I had my own motives for bringing you."

She studied him for a moment. Wondering what the hell attracted him to her? After all, whenever he saw her, she'd been in scrubs, with no make up and her hair pulled up. How attractive could she be? "You really find me attractive?"

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

"Cuz I think tonight was the first time you actually saw me in something other than scrubs. Oh, and wearing make up, too."

"I won't lie; the scrubs do nothing for you. I always thought you had to have a killer body underneath. After seeing you in that skirt tonight? I know I was right."

Trina laughed, "Killer body? Me?"

"Yeah, you," he returned.

"You need to get your eyes checked," she sniffed. "I've had a kid, Ed. And it shows."

"Yeah, and it looks damn good on you, too," he continued. "What'd you think I'd find attractive? Skinny models who are built like 12 year old boys?"

"I could see you with a model type," she agreed. "Probably more than I could see you with someone like me."

"Someone like you? Want to explain that one?"

"Yeah, someone with…curves. Someone who really only wears make up when she's dressing up and spends all of 15 minutes on her hair."

"You're beautiful," he said, realizing how lame it sounded. Sensing her protest he kept speaking. "I've done the whole high maintenance model type thing. And, yeah, they look real good on your arm, but that's about all they do."

"Wow," she mulled over his comment. "So you're telling me, you'd rather spend time with someone who's got a few curves and messy hair?"

He nodded, taking a sip of champagne. "I like a woman who knows how to relax and enjoy herself. Not one who's always worried about how she looks."

Trina laughed, "You are not at all what I imagined you'd be."

"And what did you imagine?"

"A player," she admitted.

"Me?"

"Oh, come on, Ed, you're a charmer. I just figured you'd be a normal guy and use your power for evil instead of good."

Green laughed. "I may have been a player in the past…"

"See!" she laughed with him. "I knew it!"

"In the past," he repeated. "But the older I get, the less I want to live like that."

"So, you want a woman who's low maintenance so you can let yourself go?" she teased.

"Damn, you're a ball buster, aren't you?"

"You act like you're surprised by that," she returned. "What? Your other girlfriends didn't bust them for you?"

"Not so much," he laughed. "But then again, you're not like most of the women I've ever dated."

"And, since we took it there…" she said, but he cut her off.

"Yeah, I've dated white women before," he said, having anticipated her question, "What about you?"

"I've never dated a white woman," she returned, causing him to roll his eyes. "Okay, okay, no. I've never dated a black guy before. But, what difference does it make? Do black guys do things differently than white guys?"

"God, I hope so," he dryly laughed.

"Very funny," she smartly said.

"Well, you tell me, do we do things differently?"

"I don't know. I just said I haven't dated a black guy before." she returned.

"I don't know about that. We had dinner, went dancing, and ended up naked. Sounds like a damn fine date to me."

"Okay, then, it was a date," she agreed. "And to tell you the truth, until this conversation, I never thought of you in terms of skin color." Seeing his dubious expression, she explained. "I mean, I don't think of you as "Ed Green, Black Man." I think of you as Ed Green, the attractive detective with a good sense of humor who actually knows as many obscure Elvis Costello songs as I do." She studied him for a moment, "And you're right, this was a damn fine date. And if the first date is this good, I can't wait to see the second."

"The second? Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Yeah, I think I am. What do you say?"

"I'm in," he smiled broadly. "Name the time and place."

"Tomorrow night? My place?"

"Your place? What do you have in mind?"

"Dinner," she returned. "I'm a damn good cook and I wanna show off. What happens after dinner is your choice."

Ed nodded, allowing an appreciative smile. "My choice, huh?"

"Yeah, why? What did you have in mind?" she asked, hoping, it sounded seductive.

"Maybe I'll get to see what's beneath the bubbles."

Okay, she thought, this is the time to be daring. "You don't have to wait that long," she said. "You can see that tonight."

"You aren't going to make me close my eyes when you get out of the tub?"

"Keep it up and I will," was her smart reply. "But, you seem to think I have a "killer body." Maybe I need to prove to you that you're way off base with that assumption."

"We're going to go there again, aren't we?"

"Yeah, we are," she finished her glass of champagne and set it on the ledge of the tub. "And I think it's time to go there now. Be prepared to be disappointed." She took a moment to summon her courage and slowly stood up.

Ed watched her stand, the water and bubbles running down along her pale skin. Despite her warnings, he was not disappointed. She had curves, for sure, but she wasn't any where near over weight. He put her at a full c cup and from what he could see; she was natural, not surgically enhanced. Her hips were full and her thighs and legs were firm. He couldn't imagine why she would be embarrassed by her body.

"I'm not disappointed," he said, with a sloe smile. "As a matter of fact, it's better than I imagined."

She felt herself blushing. "I told you, you need to get your eyes checked."

He watched as she stepped out of the tub. She walked to the door and took one of the white terrycloth robes that hung there. After wrapping herself in it, she grabbed the other robe. Turning to face him, she held it out to him. "Come 'ere."

"I gotta warn you…I've got that physical reaction thing going on," he said, standing up.

"Do you now?" she asked, watching as he stood and got out of the tub. She felt her breath quicken and her body respond to the site of him, wet and turned on. All doubts that they'd end up in bed left her mind. She just couldn't figure out if she should make the first move or wait for him to do it.

He resolved that issue when he reached out and took her hand, pulling her into his arms. He kissed her, softly at first, giving her a chance to pull away. She didn't. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and returned the kiss.

"Damn, I've been wanting to do that all night," he smiled, pulling back slightly.

"Why didn't you?"

"I wasn't sure how you'd react," he honestly said.

"Now you know," she said, kissing him softly. "So, what else have you been wanting to do?"

"You sure you want to take this there?" he asked, studying her eyes.

"I'm not sure of anything any more, Ed," she quietly said, "Except that life's too damn short for all the "what ifs". I just need you to know, I don't do one night stands."

"We already agreed to a second date. I don't go back on my word." He kissed her again, untying the belt and allowing the robe to fall open. He slipped his hands beneath the terrycloth and onto her warm, damp skin, then pulled back to study her face again. "If you tell me to, I'll step off and call it a night."

Without another thought, Trina pulled him close and kissed him deeply. "Stop being such a goddamned gentleman and take me to bed."

9:30 am

Ed woke slowly, knowing, before he opened his eyes, that he wasn't in his own bed. The pillows were too fluffy, the mattress much harder, and the sheets did not have the familiar fabric softener smell. No, from the smell alone, he knew he was in a hotel. He wasn't alone, either.

Opening his eyes, he took in his surroundings and looked down to find Trina, sleeping peacefully, her arm draped across his chest. Recalling the previous night, he allowed a smile to form.

Trina opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Do you always smile in the morning?"

"Only if the night before was as good as last night," he returned, kissing her forehead. "How are ya?"

She moved so that they were face to face, "Pretty damn good, how bout you?"

"Can't complain." He tucked a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. "Guess I owe you breakfast, don't I?"

She smiled at him, "I don't want to get out of bed. I like laying here with you."

"Yeah, I like it too," he agreed, holding her tight. He kissed her softly.

"Of course, I liked last night, a lot better," she slyly said.

"Last night was…" he searched for the right word. "Amazing."

"I like amazing, that fits. Damn, if I'd have known it would've been that good, we could've skipped the gambling part of the evening and gone straight to bed."

Ed laughed. "Darlin', I don't know if I could've kept that pace up all night."

"You have a point there," she agreed. "Although, I have to admit, I don't think I've slept this well in a while."

"If we didn't have to check out at eleven, I'd be tryin' to tire you out again," he said, his voice taking on a sexy growl that sent a chill through Trina.

"God, I love that voice," she said, pressing her body against his, "You have no idea what it does to me when you talk like that."

"I figured it out last night and I've stored it away for future use."

"Future use, huh? Are you presuming you'll have the opportunity for future use?"

"You said you're not the one night stand kinda girl," he began, kissing her softly.

"I'm not. Besides, I'm a big believer in the theory that the sex can only get better over time."

"True," he agreed. "Then I guess we need to give this some time, don't we?"

"Yeah, I guess we do," she kissed him. "Think you can find the time?"

"For you, I've got all the time in the world."


	2. My Boo

Glam Nightclub

November 22, 2001

11:15 pm

Ed Green sat quietly at the VIP bar. He watched as his friends worked the bar, chatting up the good looking women, and buying round after round. It was what they did, when they weren't heading down to AC or scoring tickets to The Knicks or a prize fight. Carl, Tre, Marvin, and Jermaine were his crew. They grew up together, stayed tight through college and various careers. They were the tightest friends a guy could want.

Fresh from huge, family filled Thanksgiving dinners, they met up around 10, planning on staying til closing, then hitting an after hours club. It was what they normally did on a Friday or Saturday night, but for some reason, hanging on Thanksgiving night had become a tradition. Something they all looked forward to, but tonight, he didn't much feel like hanging with them.

Feeling his cell phone vibrate in his pocket, he pulled it out. Seeing the message icon, he flipped it open to discover he had a new text message from Trina. He smiled, and opened the message.

"_Just got home from my sisters and put Ruby to bed. How's Glam?"_

He typed in his reply. _"Boring. Wish I was with you. How was dinner?"_

"What'chu doin', Eddie?" Tre asked, reading over his shoulder. "Who's Trina?"

Ed shrugged, flipping shut the phone. "A girl I been seein'."

"A girl you've been seein'? You didn't say nuthin' about no girl…"

"What girl?" Carl asked, sitting next to Ed.

"Eddie's got a new girl," Tre teased.

"That explains it," Carl nodded, watching as the bartender refilled their drinks.

"Explains what?" Ed asked, handing the bartender a twenty dollar bill.

"Why you're sitting here instead of working the Ed Green charm on the ladies," Carl said with a laugh. "So, she must be somethin' special."

Ed shrugged again, causing both Tre and Carl to laugh.

"Oh yeah, I know that look," Tre's baritone voice chuckled. "Eddie got himself a new Boo."

"Where'd you meet this one?"

"Work," he admitted, bracing himself for the ribbing to come.

"Work? Man, you don't shit in your own backyard. Didn't your daddy teach you that?"

"It ain't like that, Man," he rolled his eyes. "She ain't a cop."

"She a hooker?" Tre teased. "Or wait a crack dealer?"

"No," he tiredly said. "She's with the ME's office."

"The ME? You're datin' a coroner?" Carl winced. "Only Eddie could hook up with a girl who plays with dead bodies all day."

"Does she have fangs and sleep hanging upside down?" Tre went on, finding his own humor quite hilarious.

"She ain't a freakin' vampire, Tre. She's a doctor and yeah, she does autopsies."

"Eddie's got himself a vampire."

"Okay, okay," Carl laughed, trying to tone Tre down before Ed got pissed. "You said she's a doctor?"

Ed cast Tre a dagger like glance. "Yeah, she's an MD."

"Shit, that's a step up from the last couple," Carl decided. "She a looker?"

"Man, she's hot," Ed allowed a smile. "She don't think so, though, so it's a good thing."

"She's hot, she's smart…what's the catch?" Carl asked, curiously. "She have a kid?"

Ed nodded, "Four year old daughter."

"I knew there had to be a catch."

"She's a cute kid," he said. "I met her the other night. Smart as hell and looks just like her mother."

"Where's the baby daddy?" Tre asked.

"He's with FDNY , takes her every other weekend."

"Oh man, you're NYPD messin' with some ex FDNY gal?" Tre winced. "You like to live on the edge."

"She said he's married again with another kid," he explained. "Haven't met him yet."

"Give us a call when you do," Tre grinned, "We'll have your back."

Ed felt his cell phone vibrate again and pulled it back out of his pocket.

"That her?" Tre asked, trying to look over his shoulder.

"Yes, it is, do you mind?" he turned around and flipped the phone open and read her reply. _Too much food. Wish you were with me, too. Call me later. _He smiled and closed the phone.

"What'd Boo have to say?"

"I ain't tellin' you," Ed laughed, picking up his drink.

"Fine, be that way," Tre stood up with a grin. "I'm gonna go find Marvin and Jermaine. You can sit here being pussy whipped by yourself." With that, he walked off into the crowd.

Ed took a drink, and then looked up at Carl. "Your turn…go on, Say something smart."

"Nuthin' to say, Eddie," Carl said, picking up his glass. "How long you been seein' this one?"

"I've known her a couple of years. Just started seeing her last week."

"And she's got you that twisted already?"

"I ain't twisted," he dismissed, but they both knew it was a lie.

Carl just looked at him and arched a brow.

"Shit," Ed laughed. "I'm all twisted. What am I doin', Carl?"

"Sounds like you got a line on what the rest of us are tryin' to find. She got any friends?"

"Not that I'd hook you up with."

"So, if this girls all that, what'chu doin' sittin' here with us?"

"It's Thanksgiving," he simply said.

Carl nodded, "And you saw us…get your ass outta here."

Ed shook his head, "You know Tre and Marvin are gonna bust my ass for this."

"Yeah, cuz you're gonna get some and all they're gonna do is go home and bleed the weed."

Apartment of Trina Cesarone

November 23, 2001

1:30 am

"So you really ditched your boys for me?" Trina asked, tracing her hand along his bare chest.

"Yeah, and I'm going to be hearing about it for a damn long time, too," he laughed.

"You didn't have to leave," she offered.

"The hell I didn't."

She raised a brow.

"So, you'd rather I sat there, spending all my money, drinking watered down drinks, and going home with some model type?" he teased, pulling her close and kissing her.

"You said you didn't like model types," she returned. "Besides, you knew that by coming here you'd get some."

"That's what Carl said," he agreed.

"Oh, great. What the hell did you tell these guys about me?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Not a lot," he shrugged. "Just that you're something special."

She smiled, "Am I now?"

"Hey, I left my boys to be with you. I'd say that's special."

"Yeah, I guess," she kissed him. "So, they gave you grief about it?"

"Tre was riding me about you. The whole way over here, he kept texting me busting on my about going home to be with my Boo."

"Your Boo?" she mused, "So, I'm your Boo, huh?"

"Yeah, you're my Boo," he said, "If that's okay with you."

"Yeah, I guess it is." She blushed.

"You're blushing," he gently teased, "What's that all about?"

"I'm being a sap," she said, blushing more.

"Hey," he tilted her chin up so that he could see her face. "Talk to me."

"It's silly, but nobody's ever called me anything like that, that's all." She wished she'd stop blushing. "I'm not the girl who gets the nicknames and all the special treatment."

"Who says?"

"Well, up until you, every guy I ever dated," was her dry reply.

"I guess it's about damned time you found a guy who knows how to treat your right." He kissed her again.

"And you're that guy, huh?"

He grinned at her, "You know it, Boo."


	3. Falling In Love

Players Nightclub

January 12, 2002

11:15 pm

"Come on, Trina," Tre called from the pool table, "You're up."

"You need to let me go now," Trina laughed, trying to extricate herself from Ed's arms.

"I guess," he said, kissing her, and then releasing her. "Go on."

"Girl, you comin' or am I gonna stand here all night?" Tre teased.

"I'm comin', keep your damn pants on!" Trina laughed, walking over and taking the pool stick from his hand.

Ed watched her with an amused smile. He'd been nervous about introducing her to the guys, but she'd fallen right in with them.

Carl laughed, sitting on the empty stool next to him. "You need to get a room."

"What?" he laughed, looking at his friend. 

"You're all over the girl," Carl continued, teasing.

"I am not," Ed rolled his eyes.

"I can understand why," he allowed, then smiled at his friend. 

"Yeah?" 

Carl nodded. "Yeah. You break up with her, I want her number."

"Your girl's gonna kick your ass for even thinkin' it," Ed laughed.

"Ah, she's out with her sister," he dismissed. "She ain't here."

"What I don't get," Marvin began, sitting on the stool to Ed's left. "Is why you're datin' a white girl?"

"Why not?" Ed asked.

"Yeah, Marvin, what's your problem? Trina's cool, it don't matter that she's white."

Marvin looked at Carl. "Your girl ain't white."

"Candace is mixed," Carl sniffed, "Her mama's white. So what's your problem?"

"I'm just thinkin' about Eddie's family, that's all," Marvin shrugged.

"You forget my brother-in-law is white."

"Yeah, but…"

"But nuthin'," Carl concluded, "Man, pull your head out your ass and get over it. Eddie's girl is white. Ain't nuthin' you gonna say or do gonna change it." 

"Whatever," Marvin shrugged, "I'm gonna go get another drink."

As Marvin walked off, Ed opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when Trina walked back over.

"I suck at pool," she decided, feeling as if she interrupted something.

"It's okay," Carl dismissed, "Nobody beats Tre and Eddie."

"What can I say?" Ed grinned, standing up and walking to the pool table.

"Okay, what'd I miss?" she quietly began, looking up at Carl. 

"Marvin's being a fool," Carl dismissed.

"He doesn't like me," she nodded. 

"It ain't that…"

"Sure it is," she said, no malice in her tone. "But what I don't know is if he doesn't like me because of my personality or my skin color."

Carl laughed, "I see what Eddie likes about you. You don't sugar coat anything, do you?"

"In my job, I can't," she returned, sipping her beer. "I'm sorry if I pissed Marvin off. I didn't mean…"

Carl cut her off, "Trina, you didn't do anything. Marvin's funny like that, that's all." He gave her a broad smile. "Besides, I like you and if Eddie wouldn't pull out his nine on him, Tre'd be putting the moves on you."

Trina laughed, deciding she really liked Ed's oldest friend. "Yeah, well, I like you guys too. And I'm sorry to tell Tre, but I'm happy with the man I've got."

"Good answer," Carl agreed, watching as Ed ran the rack. "Shit…look at him go. That's another hundred I'm out."

"Glad he's on my team," Trina agreed, watching as Tre slapped money into Ed's outstretched hand.

"Pay up," Ed said, walking over to Carl.

"Shit," Carl sighed, handing him money. "One of these days I'm gonna beat your ass."

"Keep dreaming," Ed winked, handing out half of the cash to Trina.

"What's that?"

"Your half of the winnings, Partner."

"I didn't do anything except make a fool of myself," she protested. "You won all the money."

"That woman ain't natural," Tre said, stepping up behind Ed. "Shit, she's turning down money?"

"I'm sure he'll spend it on me anyway," she said, an evil smile forming on her lips.

"Wanna play again?" Tre asked.

"I'm out," Trina dismissed, "You guys play."

"I'm good," Ed said, sipping his drink.

"This place is getting' old," Marvin decided, "What do you say we bounce?"

"And go where?" Tre asked, curiously.

"Mackey's," he shrugged.

"Man, I don't wanna go there," Tre dismissed. "Besides, it ain't the kinda place to take a girl."

"Why?" Trina asked. She tried to keep her tone casual. "What kind of place is it?"

"It's a jive ass bar up in Harlem," Carl said, glaring at Marvin.

"Let's go," Trina simply said, looking at Marvin. "I can hold my own."

"No, Man, I ain't takin' her to Mackey's," Ed concluded, setting down his drink. "You wanna go, Marvin. You go."

"Fine," Marvin shrugged, finishing his drink. He looked at Tre and Carl. "I will. You guys comin'?" 

"Not me," Carl firmly said. "I'm gonna go try to meet up with Candace."

"Tre?" Marvin looked at him. "You comin' or you gonna let me go alone?"

"After last time you went up there? I'll go with you, but I'm gonna kick your ass the whole way there," he tiredly said. 

Marvin set his empty glass on the bar. "I'm out." With that, he walked off.

"I'm gonna kick his…" Ed hissed, but Tre cut him off.

"Let him go, Eddie," Tre quietly said, then, with a smile. "Trina, can I get some sugar before I leave?"

Trina smiled at Tre, "You sure can." As they hugged, she quietly said, "Thanks, Tre."

"Don't worry about it, Baby Girl," he winked, "I'll set Marvin straight." He released her. "Hit me up in the morning, Bro's." With that, he left.

"Fuckin' Marvin," Ed spat. 

"Eddie," Carl firmly said. "Let it be. You know Marvin has his head up his ass over shit like this." Carl turned to Trina, "White people ain't the only racists, Doc. I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay, Carl, you didn't do it," she returned.

"Why don't you take him home?" Carl nodded at Ed. "Next time, you and me will play partners and whoop their asses."

"Yeah, right," she laughed, as Carl hugged her. "Thanks, Carl."

"We still on for wings at Suzy T's tomorrow night? I know Candace is looking forward to it," he said.

"Sounds good to me. Ed? We still on?"

"Yeah," Ed nodded, finishing his drink.

"Eddie?" Carl said, holding out his hand.

"Thanks, Carl," Ed returned, shaking his hand. "I'll see ya tomorrow."

"You got it. Good night!"

Carl walked off, leaving them alone.

"You ready?" Ed asked, holding out his hand.

Trina nodded as she took her hand, "Let's go."

Apartment of Trina Cesarone

January 13, 2002

1:15 am

"So," Trina said, walking in to the living room. "You gonna talk to me or you gonna sit and sulk all night?"

Ed looked up from the television to find her standing there in a blue silk robe that skimmed her curves. She'd brushed out her dark hair and it hung full and soft to her shoulders. She looked damn good standing there. So good that he nearly forgot how pissed he was at Marvin. Nearly.

"I'm sorry, T," he said, standing and walking to her. 

"No, I'm sorry," she quietly said. "I didn't mean to cause problems with your friend."

"Marvin ain't no friend," he sniffed. 

"So, I'm guessing it was the white thing, huh?" 

"Yeah, he's about as racist as they come. I'm not surprised it pissed him off."

"Carl and Tre didn't seem to be bothered," she offered.

"They loved you," he smiled at her. 

"They're great guys," she replied, then paused, clearly in thought.

"You okay?" Ed asked, playing with a lock of her hair.

"I'm good," she nodded. "What about you?"

"I'm still pissed at Marvin," he admitted, then, with a smile, "But I'm good."

She grew serious again. "I don't want to come between you and your…"

"Stop," he said, putting great care into his words. "If he can't deal, that's his problem. You think he's gonna be the only person to have a problem with this?"

"No, I guess not," she agreed. 

"This is the way it's gonna be, Trina," he went on. "If you can't handle it…"

"I can handle it," she returned.

"You sure about that?" was his dubious reply.

Something about his tone hit Trina the wrong way. "I'll admit that Marvin's reaction took me aback a bit, but I wasn't going to let him scare me off. I was ready to go to that bar he suggested tonight and didn't give a shit about where it was or who was there."

"You don't wanna be at Mackey's. Hell, I don't wanna be at Mackey's," he dryly said.

"You're missing the point. No matter what kind of place it was, I would've gone, because I was going to be with you. Does that sound like someone who can't handle it?" 

He opened his mouth to speak, but she kept talking, clearly on a roll. "Maybe you're the one who can't handle it. Maybe you're the one who…"

He pulled her closed and kissed her hard and full. Surprised by the kiss, she hesitated a moment before responding with a kiss of her own. Pulling back slightly, he spoke. "I can handle it." 

"You sure about that?" she challenged, her eyes locking onto his.

"Yeah, see, I kinda figured out something important," he said.

"What'd you figure out?"

"That I've fallen in love with you," he said, watching her eyes for a response. 

She smiled, "You have?"

He nodded, giving her a hopeful smile.

"That's a good thing," she mused. 

"Really?"

"Yeah, cuz I've fallen in love with you, too." She returned the smile. "Kinda scary huh? After two months, we already know this?"

"Doc, I knew it the first night," he admitted.

"That was lust."

He shook his head, "I know the difference. And yeah, there was some lust goin' on, too."

"I know there was on this side," she laughed. "So, when did you know it? That weekend, I mean?"

"Saturday morning," he began, tugging at the belt of her robe. "When I woke up and you were layin' there, still sleeping."

She winced, "Looking like hell, I'm sure."

He shook his head, "Nah, you were all curled up next to me with this smile on your face." He pulled the robe open to find her naked beneath it and smiled. "I never saw that smile before."

"You saw me smile before then" she dismissed, as he slipped his arms beneath the robe and around her waist.

"Not that smile," he corrected. "It was this satisfied little thing…" he kissed her softly. "And I knew I put it there."

"Pretty sure of yourself, huh?"

"Tell me I didn't."

"You did," she admitted. "So, you liked my sleeping satisfied smile?"

"Among other things, yeah."

"And that's when you knew you'd fallen in love with me?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Wanna know when I figured it out?" 

"When?" 

"The next Saturday morning," she began, helping him pull off his sweater. "When I was giving Ruby breakfast and you woke up and came out into the kitchen. You sat down at the table with her and the two of you acted like you'd been doing it forever. The whole thing just clicked right there. It just felt so right."

He kissed her deeply. "It still does."

Trina pulled back and studied him for a moment. 

"What's wrong?"

"Say it…" she softly said. "Say the words."

He knew what she meant and without a moment's hesitation, he said, "I love you, Boo." 


End file.
